Romoland, California
Encyclopedia
Romoland is a census-designated place
(CDP) in Riverside County
, California
, United States
. The population was 1,684 at the 2010 census, down from 2,764 at the 2000 census.
The city was named by Greek
immigrant Romonio Homonicholai, who emigrated from Naxos in 1889 (nearby Homeland
is also named for Homonicholai, although, with a slight spelling variation, it was named for his patronymic
, not his given name
). The Homonicholai family planted a vineyard in the town as well as orange groves, and was the first to manufacture sangria
in California.
By 1905, cultivation of oranges and other agricultural produce had begun in the area, and Romoland and nearby Hemet entered in a dispute over which city would obtain a lucrative terminus for the Southern Pacific Railroad. To settle the dispute, city fathers agreed to have the mayors of the cities compete in a boxing match. "Battlin'" Dan Beecham of Hemet defeated Ronald Arcia of Romoland in a May 14, 1906 bout, and the railroad terminus was awarded to Hemet.
The original name of the town was Ethanac, the name of the train station.
The town itself began in the 1890s planned by the Santa Fe Railroad. In the early 1900s, large numbers of traquero
s or railroad workers from Mexico
arrived to become a near dominant ethnic group. In the 1930 and 1940 Census reports, Romoland has one of the highest percentage of Mexicans in southern California. They created a community, shops, schools, recreation and churches that catered to a Spanish-speaking Mexican community.
The first blood orange
s grown in the United States were cultivated in Romoland in the 1920s. In an attempt to build a larger market for the oranges, the Romoland Fruit Co. began in 1936 to market its blood oranges as "citrus tomatoes" on the idea that the word "blood" discouraged buyers. However, "citrus tomatoes" proved unsuccessful, and the Romoland Fruit Co. returned to marketing its oranges as "blood oranges" in 1937. Agriculture remains a big part of local life, but has increasingly became an exurban town in the Inland Empire.
During World War II
, Romoland led the nation in the production of burlap sandbag
s used for field fortifications. In 1945, Adolf Berle visited Romoland and proclaimed it the sandbagging capital of America.
On October 1, 2008, a significant portion of Romoland became part of the City of Menifee
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²), all of it land.
As of the 2000 census, according to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP had a total area of 3 square miles (7.8 km²), all of it land.
However, the Romoland region includes the entire unincorporated area between Perris, Hemet, Lake Elsinore and Murrieta. The total population in the year 2008 may exceeded 100,000 residents in the 30 square miles (77.7 km²) area, but carries the namesake of Romoland.
According to the Geographic Names Information System
, the town has also had the toponyms Ethanac and Ethanac Siding in the past.
Other possible names that Romoland has been called are: Romonaland, Romola, Romola Farms, Little Rome and Little Mexico or Ethnica based on the community's racial diversity.
Rogersdale USA theme park, later closed due to lack of attendance, was based in Romoland.
Contrary to wild rumor and rampant speculation in 2007, Romoland was not named after Dallas Cowboys
quarterback Tony Romo
. Nor is it the name of a theme park being built by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
.
The original name of the town was Ethanac, named after the name of the train station stop.
was 636.8 people per square mile (245.9/km²). The racial makeup of Romoland was 958 (56.9%) White, 65 (3.9%) African American, 8 (0.5%) Native American, 35 (2.1%) Asian, 12 (0.7%) Pacific Islander, 514 (30.5%) from other races
, and 92 (5.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 865 persons (51.4%).
The Census reported that 1,684 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 455 households, out of which 232 (51.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 287 (63.1%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 46 (10.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 34 (7.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 27 (5.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 6 (1.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 61 households (13.4%) were made up of individuals and 14 (3.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.70. There were 367 families
(80.7% of all households); the average family size was 4.07.
The population was spread out with 502 people (29.8%) under the age of 18, 221 people (13.1%) aged 18 to 24, 395 people (23.5%) aged 25 to 44, 434 people (25.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 132 people (7.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.0 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.7 males.
There were 512 housing units at an average density of 193.6 per square mile (74.8/km²), of which 351 (77.1%) were owner-occupied, and 104 (22.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.7%. 1,288 people (76.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 396 people (23.5%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 2,764 people, 785 households, and 620 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 926.4 people per square mile (358.1/km²). There were 867 housing units at an average density of 290.6 per square mile (112.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 54.1% White, 2.5% African American, 1.7% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 36.7% from other races
, and 4.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 55.4% of the population.
Local myth has it that everyone in Romoland is of Mexican descent. But only 40% of the town and under half (46%) of the unincorporated area is Mexican American
and/or Latino
.
There were 785 households out of which 43.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples
living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.9% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.5 and the average family size was 3.9.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 34.8% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 103.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.0 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $33,523, and the median income for a family was $37,574. Males had a median income of $23,850 versus $18,971 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $12,932. About 20.5% of families and 25.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.6% of those under age 18 and 20.6% of those age 65 or over.
Romoland is located in the 37th Senate
District, represented by Republican
Bill Emmerson
, and in the 65th Assembly
District, represented by Republican Paul Cook
. Federally, Romoland is located in California's 49th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +10 and is represented by Republican Darrell Issa
.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Riverside County
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 1,684 at the 2010 census, down from 2,764 at the 2000 census.
The city was named by Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
immigrant Romonio Homonicholai, who emigrated from Naxos in 1889 (nearby Homeland
Homeland, California
Homeland is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 5,969 at the 2010 census, up from 3,710 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Homeland is located at ....
is also named for Homonicholai, although, with a slight spelling variation, it was named for his patronymic
Patronymic
A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
, not his given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
). The Homonicholai family planted a vineyard in the town as well as orange groves, and was the first to manufacture sangria
Sangría
Sangria is a wine punch typical of Spain and Portugal, also consumed in Argentina and Uruguay. It normally consists of a wine, chopped fruit, a sweetener, and a small amount of added brandy. To be specific, a wine is a light, dry, young, high acid, unoaked, inexpensive wine, usually red wine due...
in California.
By 1905, cultivation of oranges and other agricultural produce had begun in the area, and Romoland and nearby Hemet entered in a dispute over which city would obtain a lucrative terminus for the Southern Pacific Railroad. To settle the dispute, city fathers agreed to have the mayors of the cities compete in a boxing match. "Battlin'" Dan Beecham of Hemet defeated Ronald Arcia of Romoland in a May 14, 1906 bout, and the railroad terminus was awarded to Hemet.
The original name of the town was Ethanac, the name of the train station.
The town itself began in the 1890s planned by the Santa Fe Railroad. In the early 1900s, large numbers of traquero
Traquero
A traquero is a railroad track worker, especially a Mexican or Mexican American railroad track worker . The word derives from "traque", Spanglish for "track".While the U.S...
s or railroad workers from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
arrived to become a near dominant ethnic group. In the 1930 and 1940 Census reports, Romoland has one of the highest percentage of Mexicans in southern California. They created a community, shops, schools, recreation and churches that catered to a Spanish-speaking Mexican community.
The first blood orange
Blood orange
The blood orange is a variety of orange with crimson, blood-colored flesh. The fruit is smaller than an average orange; its skin is usually pitted, but can be smooth. The distinctive dark flesh color is due to the presence of anthocyanins, a family of pigments common to many flowers and fruit, but...
s grown in the United States were cultivated in Romoland in the 1920s. In an attempt to build a larger market for the oranges, the Romoland Fruit Co. began in 1936 to market its blood oranges as "citrus tomatoes" on the idea that the word "blood" discouraged buyers. However, "citrus tomatoes" proved unsuccessful, and the Romoland Fruit Co. returned to marketing its oranges as "blood oranges" in 1937. Agriculture remains a big part of local life, but has increasingly became an exurban town in the Inland Empire.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Romoland led the nation in the production of burlap sandbag
Sandbag
A sandbag is a sack made of hessian/burlap, polypropylene or other materials that is filled with sand or soil and used for such purposes as flood control, military fortification, shielding glass windows in war zones and ballast....
s used for field fortifications. In 1945, Adolf Berle visited Romoland and proclaimed it the sandbagging capital of America.
On October 1, 2008, a significant portion of Romoland became part of the City of Menifee
Menifee, California
Menifee is a relatively new city located in Southwestern Riverside County, California, United States. The city is roughly in size. As of the 2010 census, Menifee has a population of about 77,519...
.
Geography
Romoland is located at 33°44′45"N 117°10′27"W (33.745783, -117.174228).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²), all of it land.
As of the 2000 census, according to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP had a total area of 3 square miles (7.8 km²), all of it land.
However, the Romoland region includes the entire unincorporated area between Perris, Hemet, Lake Elsinore and Murrieta. The total population in the year 2008 may exceeded 100,000 residents in the 30 square miles (77.7 km²) area, but carries the namesake of Romoland.
According to the Geographic Names Information System
Geographic Names Information System
The Geographic Names Information System is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its territories. It is a type of gazetteer...
, the town has also had the toponyms Ethanac and Ethanac Siding in the past.
Other possible names that Romoland has been called are: Romonaland, Romola, Romola Farms, Little Rome and Little Mexico or Ethnica based on the community's racial diversity.
Rogersdale USA theme park, later closed due to lack of attendance, was based in Romoland.
Contrary to wild rumor and rampant speculation in 2007, Romoland was not named after Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
quarterback Tony Romo
Tony Romo
Antonio Ramiro "Tony" Romo is a professional American football quarterback in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys. Romo's career passer rating - at 95.8 - ranks third-best all time. Tony Romo didn't play in the regular season in 2003, 2004, or 2005...
. Nor is it the name of a theme park being built by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
Jerry Jones
Jerral "Jerry" Wayne Jones is the owner and general manager of the NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys.-Early life:Jones was born in Los Angeles, California. His family moved to North Little Rock, Arkansas when he was an infant. Jones was a star running back at North Little Rock High School...
.
The original name of the town was Ethanac, named after the name of the train station stop.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Romoland had a population of 1,684. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 636.8 people per square mile (245.9/km²). The racial makeup of Romoland was 958 (56.9%) White, 65 (3.9%) African American, 8 (0.5%) Native American, 35 (2.1%) Asian, 12 (0.7%) Pacific Islander, 514 (30.5%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 92 (5.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 865 persons (51.4%).
The Census reported that 1,684 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 455 households, out of which 232 (51.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 287 (63.1%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 46 (10.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 34 (7.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 27 (5.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 6 (1.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 61 households (13.4%) were made up of individuals and 14 (3.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.70. There were 367 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(80.7% of all households); the average family size was 4.07.
The population was spread out with 502 people (29.8%) under the age of 18, 221 people (13.1%) aged 18 to 24, 395 people (23.5%) aged 25 to 44, 434 people (25.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 132 people (7.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.0 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.7 males.
There were 512 housing units at an average density of 193.6 per square mile (74.8/km²), of which 351 (77.1%) were owner-occupied, and 104 (22.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.7%. 1,288 people (76.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 396 people (23.5%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,764 people, 785 households, and 620 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 926.4 people per square mile (358.1/km²). There were 867 housing units at an average density of 290.6 per square mile (112.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 54.1% White, 2.5% African American, 1.7% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 36.7% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 55.4% of the population.
Local myth has it that everyone in Romoland is of Mexican descent. But only 40% of the town and under half (46%) of the unincorporated area is Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
and/or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
.
There were 785 households out of which 43.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.9% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.5 and the average family size was 3.9.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 34.8% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 103.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.0 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $33,523, and the median income for a family was $37,574. Males had a median income of $23,850 versus $18,971 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $12,932. About 20.5% of families and 25.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.6% of those under age 18 and 20.6% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Romoland is located in the 37th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Bill Emmerson
Bill Emmerson
William "Bill" Emmerson is a Republican California State Senator, representing the 37th district in Riverside County, having been elected in a June 8, 2010 special election and sworn into office the next day...
, and in the 65th Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Republican Paul Cook
Paul Cook (politician)
Paul Cook has represented California's 65th Assembly district since December 2006. Prior to his election he served as a member of the Yucca Valley city council from 1998 until 2006. He is a Republican.-Military career:...
. Federally, Romoland is located in California's 49th congressional district
California's 49th congressional district
California's 49th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that currently covers much of northern San Diego County and southwestern Riverside County.The district is currently represented by Republican Darrell E...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +10 and is represented by Republican Darrell Issa
Darrell Issa
Darrell Edward Issa is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 48th, serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was formerly a CEO of Directed Electronics, the Vista, California-based manufacturer of automobile security and convenience products...
.